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All of Doctor Who is finally coming to BBC iPlayer
All of Doctor Who is coming to BBC iPlayer. All of it.
BBC wants you to test iPlayer app features before they launch
While the BBC adds new features to its iPlayer apps at a decent clip, it can't always ensure they get enough real-world testing before they're shipped. Maybe that's why the Beeb has today launched a new Mobile iPlayer beta programme that aims to gather feedback on its latest additions. Right now, the programme is Android-only and supports devices running Jelly Bean (Android 4.1) and up, but the broadcaster says it will also bring beta testing to iOS and Kindle Fire devices in the future.
BBC iPlayer apps now offer live channels based on where you live
If you're on the move or struggling to gain control of the TV remote in your living room, the BBC's iPlayer apps are an easy way to watch its live programming. The problem, until now, has been that the mobile apps would only let you stream the England-specific versions of BBC One and BBC Two. So if you lived in Edinburgh and wanted to watch Reporting Scotland, you were out of luck until it was made available to stream on-demand. It wasn't the most accommodating setup, so the BBC is updating both its iOS and Android apps to support the regional versions of BBC One and BBC Two broadcast in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Just choose your preferred location in the app's settings and you'll receive exactly the same programming as you would normally on the telly.
BBC iPlayer for iOS now gives you 30 days to watch downloaded shows
One of iPlayer's great features is the ability to download all of its programmes for offline viewing. The Beeb traditionally let you download and keep shows for up to seven days, allowing you to catch up on the commute to work, but as part of its iPlayer revamp, that period was extended to 30 days. After rolling out the feature on the Xbox One and Android devices last week, iPhone and iPad users can now join in the fun. Not only will you be able to download all the programmes you've missed today and carry them over until the New Year, the new update will also let you specify your location to access regional on-demand programmes via the TV Guide. Great if you're visiting friends and family over Christmas and need some entertainment during the post-dinner lull.
EE TV gets the BBC's Red Button features and several new streaming apps
It's safe to say that EE's first foray into the living room, EE TV, has a few teething problems. Perhaps the most prominent is its small selection of on-demand services, which pales in comparison to other, more mature set-top boxes. The network operator has sought to tackle the issue with its first major platform update today, which adds apps for Deezer, Dailymotion, Euronews, Hopster and Cloudio TV. While any new services are an improvement, none of them are the sort of heavyweight providers we'd like to see landing on the device. Services like Netflix would be great, but ITV Player and 4oD would be a good start, too.
The TUAW Daily Update Podcast for May 28, 2014
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get some the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the player at the top of the page. The Daily Update has been moved to a new podcast host in the past few days. Current listeners should delete the old podcast subscription and subscribe to the new feed in the iTunes Store here.
Stream: Jonah from Tonga
Now that the BBC is killing off BBC Three, the corporation is pushing viewers over to iPlayer. Auntie is testing the waters by letting users binge-watch (Netflix-style) Chris Lilley's comedy Jonah from Tonga over the weekend. The spin-off from Summer Heights High sees young Jonah Takalua try to navigate school, and will be available to watch on BBC Three in the old-fashioned way from next Thursday. We haven't seen the show yet, but we figure that if you're already a fan of Lilley's unique sensibilities, then this will be a must-watch. Jonah from Tonga is available to stream in its entirety for the next 48 hours on BBC iPlayer.
BBC to extend iPlayer catch-up period to 30 days
Remember when the BBC's latest chief pledged to revamp the iPlayer? His bosses at the BBC Trust have just rubber-stamped the decision to extend the catch-up window from seven days to 30. The changes will take some time to implement, since there's various technical and legal hoops to jump through, but the corporation expects the new system to be in place by the summer. Happy viewing.
BBC iPlayer for iOS updated with AirPlay for downloads, improved search
Our big sister site Engadget is reporting today that the BBC iPlayer for iOS received a big update that will make it easier to watch your favorite shows even when your internet connection is on the fritz. The app update is limited to the UK version of the BBC iPlayer, but now supports AirPlay streaming of downloaded shows. If you've captured your favorite episodes of EastEnders or Doctor Who to your iOS device, you can blast 'em to your big screen via Apple TV even if your internet connection is down. BBC iPlayer now has improved searching as well. Search responses are grouped by series, and iPad users now have a dedicated search section. If you're a UK user, get the update now through the link above.
Radical.FM launches free, user-supported digital streaming radio for iPhone
Streaming radio services are pretty common for iPhone; with the release of iOS 7, for example, iPhone users will have access to iRadio, Apple's own streaming radio service. Also in existence at this time are Pandora, Spotify, BBC iPlayer and others. Now a new streaming service, Radical.FM, is arriving with a rather interesting business plan -- they want you to pay them what you feel the service is worth. The free Radical.FM app is available today, and as the name suggests, it appears that the founder seems to wish he was living in the late 1960s -- "Radical is a corporation with a conscience; we believe in a sustainable planet, global humanity and local action. We compensate artists, composers and labels for all the music you stream. And we believe everyone is entitled to a great musical experience, even the unemployed and working poor." As touchy-feely as that sounds, it ignores the fact that all of the other services also compensate artists, composers and labels. And I can't help but thinking that the working stiffs in the world are going to be subsidizing "the unemployed and working poor," as well as everyone else who decides that they don't feel like paying their fair share. Sure, being commercial-free is a nice goal, but altruism doesn't necessarily pay the bills. I'm wondering how long it will take Radical.FM to resort to the PBS/NPR model of "no advertising," but tons of blurbs for corporate sponsors as well as monthly beg-a-thons for support. The app itself is unexciting. You sign in or create a new account -- it said that my attempt to sign in with a Facebook account was rejected due to my security settings -- and then select the stations you want to listen to. Being a true child of the '60s and '70s, I picked '70s Classic Rock as my first station... which ended up being called "My First Station." At least you can rename the stations. There's a "tune station" feature that makes no sense, using a + and - continuum to do something to the station -- what it does, I have no clue. An explanation in the app of what this feature does would be helpful. Does it skew the music towards the beginning or end of an era? Does it give a Led Zeppelin channel more or less Jimmy Page? Who knows? As it is, you're presented with a grid of album covers, with the playlist set up to go from top-left to bottom-right. The album containing the song you're listening to covers up six of the other album covers, and features a progress bar for the song in question. A simple play/pause button is located at the bottom-left of the screen, and there's a "fast-forward" button if you absolutely cannot stand the song you're listening to. Unlike the "commercial" streaming stations, Radical.FM provides no way to purchase a song that you like. iRadio has a simple button at the top of each song page with the price clearly listed: if I want to buy it and add it to my iTunes library, it's a simple tap away. Even Pandora lets you opt into purchasing a song that you may have loved years ago, but totally forgot about. It seems like selling music through Radical.FM would be a great funding opportunity, so it's odd that the service doesn't offer any way to buy songs or albums. One feature of Radical.FM that is touted quite heavily is the service's 25 million song library, which contains -- and I quote -- "online rarities like The Beatles, AC/DC and Bob Seger." That's quite interesting to hear, since I can't seem to get away from AC/DC on the iRadio beta; Bob Seger shows up between the ads on Pandora with no problems (even on the free version); and the Beatles are easily accessible on Pandora as well. Anyway, it's a new service, a new app and a new day. In the end, Radical.FM may end up being the most successful streaming radio service on the 'net. It's up to you, the consumer, to decide whether you want to try the service and how much you want to donate to Radical.FM. In the end, perhaps my lack of faith in the generosity of the general public may be overpowered by all of you opening your wallets.
For first time ever BBC iPlayer watched on more tablets than smartphones
The BBC has released its March 2013 BBC iPlayer Performance Pack, which breaks down the viewing habits of those using the company's iPlayer video streaming service. For the first time ever, BBC iPlayer views on a tablet, like the iPad, outpaced views on smartphones, like the iPhone. Though tablets only won by 200,000 views, the results are significant as it shows that tablet adoption is increasing -- good news for Apple, as its iPad is clearly the world's dominant tablet even as it's seeing heavy competition to its iPhone in the smartphone market. In the release the BBC said, "For the first time ever, there were more requests on tablet devices than mobile devices (200,000 requests ahead of mobiles) driven primarily by TV viewing. Both mobile and tablet usage remained high -- making up 30 percent of overall requests -- or 81 million requests in total." BBC iPlayer is a free download in the UK App Store.
BBC iPlayer gets updated for iPad, iPhone 5
One of the most popular apps in the UK received some small, but siginificant updates yesterday. BBC iPlayer for iOS has been updated to version 2.0.2. The most noticeable change in the update is that it finally brings support for the iPhone 5's screen. Now viewers can watch their favorite shows in full 16:9 glory without any black bars on the sides. The update also brings the ability for users to plug their iPhones directly into their TVs to watch iPlayer. This is something that has been available on the iPad version of the app for a while, but its addition on the iPhone version brings unity (something that is always a plus for universal apps). On the iPad side, BBC iPlayer has added a few new features as well. The "Live Channels" button now enables channel hopping during live broadcasts. In addition, tapping on the "More" button now shows a transparent overlay across the bottom of the screen. The overlay displays images representing other episodes or programs in two categories: "More From This Series" and "More Like This." The BBC has a strong history of embracing technological change, but one place they still need the iPlayer to land on is the Apple TV. Also, it would be nice if iPlayer for iOS supported AirPlay streaming (via a dedicated AirPlay button in the app instead of having to mirror your entire iPhone). If you think so too, give them a shout on Twitter (@BBCiPlayer) and tell them @michaelgrothaus sent you. BBC iPlayer is a universal app and a free download in the UK App Store.
Hands on with WiTopia's VPN service
This week, I gave WiTopia's VPN a try. And to be quite honest, it wasn't exactly the experience I was hoping for. As I discussed in my first post on this topic, Virtual Private Networking offers ways for users to safeguard their data in public situations, when looking for privacy on their desktop computers, and when location shifting. I started my tests as a complete VPN noob. I wasn't sure what I was getting in for, or how well VPN would work with my setup. I resolved to test VPN in various situations and see how well I could still accomplish my goals. Bill Bullock of WiTopia was kind enough to sit down with me and introduce the service before I pulled out my credit card and signed up for an account. "If you're on public WiFi, you should be using VPN," Bullock told me. "It's a matter of education." I decided to test it both in the public situation, the most common VPN experience, as well as on my personal system. Don't forget to switch on the VPN My first lesson was this: using VPN must be a conscious choice. Although iOS makes VPN incredibly easy to use, it doesn't work until you switch it on. Remembering to do that while you're out must become a habit, one that I really struggled to master. When active, a VPN icon appears at the top left in your status bar. This lets you instantly check if you've enabled the service. If you see the icon below, you have. Setting up VPN The set up process was amazingly easy. I just added a new VPN entry, and entered my account credentials as instructed. (Hint: you need to add backslash W before your email.) Total set up could not have taken more than a minute. After that, my account was ready to use whenever I desired -- all it takes is a simple click to get going. What I didn't expect is that various servers provide differing performance levels, presumably based on general load. WiTopia offers dozens of servers. I found that the local Aurora-based server offered iffy response times, but by connecting to Kansas City (just a bit further east), I could obtain far more responsive Internet. Your experience will vary, of course. Because you're directing all your traffic through a server, a slow one can really limit your device's responsiveness. WiTopia offers a help article to assist with slow connections and offers 24/7 customer phone support. Bullock points out, "Another item to remember is you probably retain cookies and other identifiers to iTunes, etc. and that may have had something to do with slowed downloads. We have customers streaming Video all over the world (which is very bandwidth-intensive and finicky) , so if downloads were significantly slowed, beyond what may be normal because we're encrypting all the data, it is likely something that could be tweaked." You can location shift One feature a lot of TUAW bloggers were interested in was VPN place shifting. When you select a server, your location becomes that location. Use a Canadian server, you're in Canada. Use a UK server, you're in Britain. (Attn pedants: I checked and didn't see any for Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, etc.) What did this mean? I was able to install and use the BBC iPlayer app and sample a variety of offerings. Geolimited shows that would not normally play back on my iPad were there for the viewing. (Attn Pedants: We at TUAW do not encourage or discourage geoshifting. The BBC website states "You need to be covered by a valid TV Licence if you watch or record TV as it's being broadcast", which does not cover replays. Consult an international lawyer to determine whether you should or should not engage in this behavior.) Location shifting, as much as it delights the heart of those whose home-team basketball game is blacked out, is not without its risks and frustrations. After finishing my tests and reverting to the United States, App Store kept giving me a hard time until I completely rebooted my iPad. These kind of problems were, however, much more frequent on my Mac versus my iPad -- probably because I use my Mac in a much more rigorous way. VPN on my Mac Setting up VPN on my new Mac mini was just as easy as on my iPad and geoshifting even easier -- mostly because I didn't have to type anything once I was all set up. To change locations, I just selected a server from a menu and connected. For the most part, I tried to stay connected to Kansas City -- although I did test out London and the BBC. VPN on a desktop computer is primarily about privacy -- keeping your activities, especially your searches, anonymous. Unfortunately, I found that VPN service often interfered with the tasks I was trying to accomplish. For example, I regularly ran into Google errors like these. Google was convinced that I was some kind of automated bot trying to compromise their service. and this A search on my IP address found it blacklisted due to use by spam bots. I also ran into difficulties working with iTunes Connect (as I was rushing to get out both an update and a new app), with IRC (which often would not allow connections on irc.freenode.net), and with my email server (which I fixed using a WiTopia help page, but I couldn't send email for several days). Downloads ran slower -- especially when trying to move massive quantities of data, including the latest Xcode beta for iOS 6.1, upgrading gigabytes of apps (mostly due to TomTom's 1.3 GB update), and re-downloading movies that iTunes "helpfully" removed to the cloud. After a point, I simply turned off VPN so I could finish my downloads sometime this century. Conclusions After doing my VPN tests, I am totally behind the VPN idea -- regardless of which reputable provider is used. However, for someone who lives by bandwidth and needs reliable Internet access, I'm not entirely sure I would use it 24/7. That's not because I wouldn't want to -- having my searches protected really appeals to me -- but because at least in this configuration, my work day was impacted enough to make it more of a use-with-public-WiFi scenario. My entire VPN experience is, as you can tell, quite limited. So please join in the comments with your person reflections on providers and work flows.
BBC iPlayer comes to Sky+, Hell reports incoming frost
The BBC and Sky may represent polar, warring opposites of the broadcasting business, but that doesn't mean their technology platforms can't get along. Following a promise made all the way back in January, internet-connected Sky+HD boxes will be able to access BBC iPlayer from today. The service has been integrated into Sky's world-class program guide, with users even able to plump to catch available shows in high definition. The announcement also let slip that 4OD, the last remaining holdout to the service, will be added in early 2013. If you've yet to hook your Sky box up to the internet, you just need an Ethernet cable or wireless adapter -- but let's hope for your sake they aren't at opposite ends of your house.
BBC launches BBC iPlayer Radio app for iOS
Today the BBC launched its BBC iPlayer Radio for iOS. The app builds on the popularity of BBC's iPlayer video app for iPhone and iPad. With BBC iPlayer Radio, users can listen to any BBC radio station on their iOS device over a WiFi or 3G connection. Like the regular BBC iPlayer app, the BBC iPlayer Radio app allows listeners to listen to on-demand radio shows from the past seven days. Users can also watch video clips, including music sessions of bands performing on radio shows. But my favorite part about the BBC iPlayer Radio app is its radio tuner dial, which is reminiscent of the classic iPod's scroll wheel. The app also allows you to set alarms so you can wake to your favorite radio program in the morning. The app is only available in the UK App Store and does require you to be in the UK while using it. Like BBC's other apps, BBC iPlayer Radio is a free download. To see it in action, check out the video clip on the BBC's Media Center page.
BBC launches iPlayer Radio: a separate radio-only mobile app and web UI
No one can accuse the BBC of neglecting radio in its quest for streaming nirvana -- not when the number of radio listeners on iPlayer has shot up 56 percent in a year (and 300 percent on tablets). Nevertheless, from tomorrow morning, iPhone users will find a brand new way to listen to their favorite content: a dedicated radio app with a spinning dial which -- compared to the regular iPlayer app -- will put much greater emphasis on live shows rather than catch-up. There'll also be mobile-friendly features like an alarm clock which will wake you up to your choice of show, reminders for shows you just can't miss, and the ability to identify current and recently-played songs at a glance. The app will reach Android too, as soon as some Flash-related difficulties have been ironed out, and its alarm function will benefit from slightly better multi-tasking on Google's OS, so you won't have to leave the app open before you fall asleep. If you don't want to wait or if you're outside the UK, check out the desktop iPlayer at the source link, or the gallery below, and you'll see just what the Corporation's philosophy about treating radio differently -- rather than as "TV minus video" -- actually looks like.
BT to offer free YouView box with one-year broadband contract, £49 for existing customers
If you're not quite comfortable shelling out £299 for BT's YouView box, then you're in luck. Starting October 26th, the hardware will be free for new Infinity broadband subscribers who ink contracts that are one year or longer. Instead of relying on cable, the Humax-built device uses both aerial and internet connections to deliver content from more than 100 digital TV and radio channels including Channels 4 and 5, the BBC and ITV. With the IPTV box, users can sift through content that's aired in the past seven days, watch on-demand programs and record up to 300 hours of standard definition television or 125 hours of high-def video to a built-in 500GB hard drive. Current British Telecom subscribers pining for the subsidized box will be able to get their own for a £49 activation fee and a £6.95 delivery charge. Those eager for the gratis set-top solution will be able to order it online starting October 19th if they register interest with BT's website beforehand. For more details, check out the press release below.
BBC Media Player to give Android users their iPlayer fix in a mostly Flashless world
Remember how the BBC was asking Adobe to keep Flash for Android on life support for a short while? The broadcaster just removed any doubts as to why with the launch of BBC Media Player, its solution for that day when the mobile plugin is well and truly buried. Starting with iPlayer on the mobile web and moving on to both radio as well as an updated version of the Android app due next week, the BBC will be using close Flash cousin Adobe AIR for streaming playback on Android phones and tablets. It can't quit Flash technology cold turkey given the sheer number of devices still running Gingerbread or earlier, which rules out HTTP Live Streaming for now. Media Player isn't necessarily the most elegant solution -- we're seeing reports of sub-par video and other hiccups -- but it will keep those episodes of Doctor Who rolling on most Android hardware and let the BBC push out updates that address as many of the Google-inclined as possible.
Sky+ update allows undeleting recorded shows, more on-demand and future Catch Up TV
Sky+ has been on a bit of a tear refreshing its set-top boxes, and it's not about to stop now. When ready, a new update for the satellite TV provider's devices will let you undelete recorded programs; deleted shows are now moved to a separate space and only removed permanently either through age or if you really, really don't want to watch. If you're more interested in watching content that's always available, both Anytime and Anytime+ will be rebranded as On Demand, while the Sky Guide is adding a dedicated store tab for movie rentals. Catch Up TV is also nearing with the update and should aggregate the last week's worth of shows from Sky in addition to BBC iPlayer, Demand 5 and ITV Player. The gotcha, as we know all too well from these kinds of firmware revisions, is the timing. You'll have to have either a Sky+ HD 1TB box or the Sky+ HD DRX890 to get the upgrade early on, and Sky is staggering its deployment in a move that could leave some subscribers twiddling their thumbs.
Freesat launches 'Free Time' TV Guide to help you waste yours
Freesat is launching a revamped TV guide to pull together content from your satellite dish and the Internet. Free Time has a unified now and next view that lets you search backwards for shows you've missed that are available on-demand. It currently supports BBC iPlayer and ITV player, with 4OD and Demand 5 due to be added before Christmas -- and while it's still a rumor at this point, we're expecting Netflix to arrive on the platform at some point in the future. The guide will form the centerpiece of the next generation of Freesat hardware, which will be available for £280 when it arrives later this month.
